Linux From Scratch

[Austaph]

For all die-hard geeks:
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org

I've got all my studying done for the week ahead, so I might as well get back into this Linux thing. For those of you who don't know, Linux is a computer operating system (OS) like Windows, only with a lot more functionality and ground-up customization potential.

Popular versions of Linux include http://www.ubuntu.com, http://www.gentoo.org, http://www.debian.org, http://www.slackware.com, http://www.redhat.com, among many, many others.

It's not for the faint of heart, however. Installing and using Linux requires a pretty hefty amount of computer literacy, and a lot of time, patience, and reading. If you're using a family computer, it's a must that you get permission before doing anything with Linux, as there's the very real possibility of mucking up your computer. Anyone who's ever used Linux has encountered severe errors with their computer, but learning how to fix the mistakes is half the fun of learning the OS.

It's been years since I was into Linux and software programming, and what I began with was ZipSlack; a version of Linux which can be installed in a folder in Windows. This is an absolutely magnificent introduction to Linux, providing a means to learn it and get used to it without the possibility rendering your computer (temporarily) useless.
ZipSlack: http://www.slackware.com/zipslack.

I've been pretty paranoid about malware and virus infection lately, and I want to have total control over the transition to Linux, so I'm going for a from-scratch installation. (Like I said: free time. Hahaha, please wish me luck with this one.) As always, let's share our thoughts, ideas, and questions.